Liberec Routes

Few people know that night operation in Liberec existed even under the former regime. Already in 1958 a night connection of Stráž nad Nisou with Liberec on weekdays was introduced. The very next year (8 May 1959) two circular lines were introduced for operation on nights before non-working days:

• Circuit I: Gottwaldovo náměstí - Nádraží - Dolní Hanychov - České mládeže - Rochlice - Gottwaldovo náměstí (twice a night),
• Circuit II: Gottwaldovo náměstí - Husova - Březová alej - Lidové Sady - Lázně - Nám. Bojovníků za mír (today nám. Dr. E. Beneše) - Horská - Ruprechtice náměstí - Vrchlického - Pavlovice Letná - Růžodol I - Gottwaldovo náměstí (once a night).

Both circuits can be found in the same form in the 1972 and 1975 timetables. Circuit I departed at 0:30 and 1:50, circuit II at 1:10. This operation ended on 12 January 1979.

In the new era Liberec long lagged far behind comparable and even smaller cities in terms of night operation. Its reintroduction came only in 2007. The development was as follows:

• Until 2007 operation ended with a collective departure on the dispatcher's signal at 23:10 (originally 23:08 or 23:05).

• Only on 1 December 2007 were night services introduced on a trial basis on lines 3, 11, 12, 22, 24, 25 and 29, which met at the Fügnerova terminal always at 23:50, 0:30 and, on non-working days, also at 1:10 and 2:00.

  Night line timetables from this stage to view here

• On 1 September 2010 a system of four circular lines numbered 90-93 was introduced, supplementing the night tram services. The departure times remained the same.
• From September 2012 lines 92 and 93 were merged into one with the number 92, and the departure times changed to 0:20 and, on non-working days, 1:10 and 2:00. The change was connected with the shift of the last daytime departure to 23:20. Partial route changes affected the other lines too.
• In October 2015 the departures were adjusted again: 0:20 daily and, on non-working days, also 1:20 and 2:20. The 1:20 departure was available all week for about a year.
• 26 March 2020: in connection with the state of emergency due to the spread of the new coronavirus, the night lines were temporarily discontinued. During the gradual restoration of operation, however, they were not restored, so the discontinuation proved permanent. Politicians cited the financial demands of operation. For almost two years Liberec was thus without night operation. During the changes, the mode of ending daytime operation was also permanently changed to a collective departure of most lines at 22:40 and a departure of selected lines at 23:10.
• 1 January 2022: a trial introduction of two long circular lines, 93 and 94, with a single all-week departure at 0:20.
• 2 January 2023: night operation was again expanded to 4 lines, 91-94, with departures daily at 0:20 and, on non-working days, also at 1:20. This time operation is provided purely by buses; the night tram services did not return to operation.

This night circular line serves so many areas that, to the ones at the end of the line — mainly the Františkov area — it is faster on foot. This is reflected in the occupancy too. At weekends the occupancy can sometimes be reasonable as far as the Vesec and Doubí estates, but beyond that only rarely, and on weekdays it happens that the driver travels the whole long route entirely alone. The line passes through several sections that no other line reaches, so vigilance is needed. One such is the U Lomu - Vratislavice nad Nisou section. Here you must not forget to turn off Tanvaldská street to the Pivovarská and Lékárna stops. Another unusual section is from Vratislavice to Rochlice along Rochlická street. A further section where only night lines run (together with line 97) is České mládeže - Spáleniště. When turning from Ještědská into Stará Ještědská onto the tram track, the driver has two options: either to attempt the spatially trickier turn, or to go and turn around comfortably in the Horní Hanychov loop at the cost of lost time. There is even the option of coming down from Ještědská straight via the turn-off to the Spáleniště stop. If no one wishes to alight or board (the stop is visible from the junction), it is possible to continue straight along the tram tracks to the centre. If someone does, it is possible to turn around by house no. 173, but there is the risk of parked cars that make this turn impossible. Finally, there is also the unusual link between Krkonošská and Americká. On the other sections the line runs like ordinary daytime lines. Enjoy a spring night in Liberec with an Iveco Urbanway #715.